Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2012/107

Contact: Lorna Baxter, Deputy Chief Finance Officer Tel: (01865) 323971

Report by Assistant Chief Executive & Chief Finance Officer (CA7).

The report is the second in a series on the Service & Resource Planning process for 2013/14 to 2016/17, providing councillors with information on budget issues for 2013/14 and the medium term.  The report provides information on budgetary pressures faced by the Council and gives an update on the changes to the local government funding system. The report also provides an update on government consultations and initiatives and sets out the review of charges.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)              note the report and that an addenda will be produced following the announcement of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement;

(b)              consider, in forming their budget proposals, the council tax referendum threshold announced by the Chancellor;

(c)               consider, in forming their budget proposals, the implications in future years of accepting the Council Tax Freeze Grant in 2013/14;

(d)              consider, in forming their budget proposals, the revised inflation assumptions set out in paragraph 29; and

(e)              in relation to the review of charges:

(1)  note those charges prescribed by legislation;

(2)  approve those charges where there is local discretion as set out in Annex 3 noting that some of these charges will commence before April 2013.

Recommendations agreed taking into account the additional report set out in the Addenda.

Cabinet considered the report, which is the second in a series on the Service & Resource Planning process for 2013/14 to 2016/17. It provided councillors with information on budget issues for 2013/14 and the medium term; on budgetary pressures faced by the Council and it gave an update on the changes to the local government funding system. The report also provided an update on government consultations and initiatives and set out the review of charges. Cabinet further considered an addenda that summarised the key announcements in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 5 December Statement and set out the implications for the County Council.

Cabinet noted that the provisional local government finance settlement was still awaited and that it was likely that there would be continued uncertainty even after it was announced.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)               note the report and addenda;

(b)               consider, in forming their budget proposals, the council tax referendum threshold announced by the Chancellor;

(c)               consider, in forming their budget proposals, the implications in future years of accepting the Council Tax Freeze Grant in 2013/14;

(d)               consider, in forming their budget proposals, the revised inflation assumptions set out in paragraph 29; and

(e)               in relation to the review of charges:

(1)   note those charges prescribed by legislation;

(2)   approve those charges where there is local discretion as set out in Annex 3 noting that some of these charges will commence before April 2013.